heartbeat
by parrillad
Summary: You're my queen and I'm your lionheart. We were meant to be. It's fate, it's love, it's destiny... A collection of prompts in response to outlawqueenweek on Tumblr. Rated T to be safe until later chapters.
1. close your eyes and count to ten

**close your eyes and count to ten**

**a/n**: these are all my responses to outlaw queen week on tumblr. you can find the original post on my tumblr, parrillad. please note that these prompts are all unedited as they've been taken directly from it's post.

**day**: one  
**prompt**: true loves kiss

* * *

**one**

She opens her eyes to darkness, to a room full of mirrors and her reflection staring back at her. This isn't what she had expected, but she sits up regardless. Legs curled beneath her, arms wrapped around her waist, regina glances around but all she sees is herself.

**two**

Her heart sinks, her gaze falling to her hand that she lifts from her chest. The needle had pricked her palm, hidden within her vault and unnoticed - until it had slipped through her fingers and in to her skin. A moment of shock, henry and roland and _robin_ flashing through her head before she falls, eyes closing and a gasp slipping from her lips.

**three**

The room get's colder. she lifts her head and looks around, teeth sinking in to her lower lip until she falls, sinks through the floor and crashing to the ground and it hurts. It hurts a lot more than she thinks it should and maybe the netherworld is harsher to those who deserve it.

**four**

The fires burn and her heart breaks. Her eyes close and she's tired. so, so tired. But sleep will not come to one already cursed with it. Heat licks her skin and she shivers. not from cold, but from a ghosting touch on her arm. Brown eyes flicker downwards, but all she sees is pale skin and tear drops.

**five**

She feels pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. How foolish of her, to have believed she could deserve anything more than what she had. She wasn't happy, not truly. But she was content. She'd had henry back, he had been all she'd needed. Coldness seeps in to her heart and she cries, hand curling in to a fist and slamming against the ground but that only proves to be a bad idea when she recoils, a burn marring her skin. Cradling it to her chest, regina glares at thin air.

**six**

She wants to regret it. The little time they'd had together, she wants to regret every single moment spent by his side... but she can't. A glimpse at happiness is better than no happiness at all, and then she's laughing. Because no, she's wrong, she's a liar, and she laughs because laughing is better than crying.

**seven**

Time passes differently in the burning room. She could have been here but an hour, or a week, or a year, and she wouldn't know. Did henry hate her? did robin care at all? Was she even found? She thinks about her body, lying cold and alone in the middle of her vault and she thinks that maybe it's better that way. Maybe, if they think she'd left town, they wouldn't see just how weak she really was.

**eight**

It had been an accident, but a part of her questions that. What if she'd known it was there? Had she seen it whilst searching for the evidence of her sisters validity? Had she pricked her palm purposefully, thoughts of maleficent and her laughter and her jokes. 'O_ne day, you'll see the appeal of a needle_'. Did maleficent know, even then? Had everyone known but her?

**nine**

The room starts to play tricks on her. The fires continue to burn but sometimes she can see faces between the flames. Henry, screaming at her about evil queen's and real mothers. Daniel, a disgusted look in his eyes and a whisper of 'monster' on his lips. Her mother, her father, her sister, her husband. Snow White, Belle, Sidney, Marian. The last one stays, staring at her with fear in her eyes and a scream on her lips and Roland cowers behind his mother, looking up at her in fright. And then there's Robin.

**ten**

Robin, who's the only one to step through the flames, advancing upon her. she looks up at him, unable to move or speak and he crouches down in front of her, staring in to her eyes with betrayal in his own, hatred. "I could never love the woman who killed my wife and left my child motherless." And he may as well have shot her through the heart and twisted the arrow. because she had loved him, she really had. tears pool in her eyes and he reaches out, grasping her chin between his fingers before he opens his mouth. He forms the word 'evil' with his lips but it's her name that slips from them.

"Regina - please."

Her eyes drift close and then open, but the flames are gone. someone holds her, arms wrapped around her waist and forehead resting against her own and she blinks, disorientated, before robin fades in to view in front of her. 'He's crying', she thinks. And that makes no sense. Why would he be crying when his wife, whom he would have walked through hell for, is alive and well?

"Robin?"

A sob tears from his lips and he presses them against her own. She's confused, and conflicted, so she doesn't kiss him back but he doesn't seem to care. He whispers apologies over and over again and her head is killing her and she's still so, so tired but she didn't think she'd be in his arms again so she leaves it be, tilting her head and pressing her nose in to his neck as he hugs her to his body.

"I didn't think it would work, I didn't - Rumplestiltskin said it wouldn't work if you, if you didn't - i'm sorry, Regina. I'm so sorry."

His words run together but he holds her close and that's all she cares about.

Her eyes drift closed again and his grip around her tightens, but there's not fires and no mirrors and there's a sting to her hand that wasn't there before. Robin whisper's her name in to her hair and she smiles. She likes this room better than the one that burns.

* * *

**a/n**: you don't have to review, i'm not fussy about them. there'll be seven chapters in total, one for each day of outlaw queen week. and after that, if anyone's interested, i'll continue writing prompts. you can leave some in the reviews if you'd like, and i'll choose ones to write. i also write prompts over on tumblr, however those won't be published here.


	2. once a thief

**once a thief...** (always a thief)

**a/n:** _and here's prompt two. warning! very mild sexy times at the end, hence why i bumped up the rating. let me know what you thought if you like, but it's not big deal if you don't._

**day:** two  
**prompt:** trapped together

* * *

"This is your fault", she growls, glaring at him over her shoulder before turning her gaze back to the door. Her hand presses flat against the wood, pushing hard against it only for her muscles to cramp. He scoffs behind her, standing with his arms crossed over his chest and that ridiculous smirk on his lips and if she were looking at him, she'd scowl. She does so anyway. "My fault? How is this my fault, milady?"

Her eye twitches, and she turns. Pressing her back flat against the door, Regina's lips part and her gaze rises to the ceiling, adopting a 'deep-in-thought' expression. Dramatic, as always. "Hmm, let's see - you were the one sneaking around my castle, you were the one to break in to the room, and you were the one to close the door. I'm fairly sure that equates to this being entirely your fault." Her lips purse as she speaks, eyes narrowing at the ceiling before her gaze falls to meet Robins, and he's still smirking. "Do you think this is funny?"

Robin nods, and his smile only proves to irritate her. Regina glares, voice lowering dangerously. Had she not taken such a liking to his son, the outlaw may have found himself teetering on the edge of death. If looks could kill, of course. "What could possibly be funny about this?" She doesn't like not know things. It makes her feel out of control, something she is far too used to as it is. "We're locked in a room deep beneath the castle, with no way out nor any way of anyone knowing where we are - I fail to see the punchline." And he laughs at her, causing her brow to furrow and her gaze to flitter. "The punchline, milady, is that this is actually you're fault, not mine."

"My fault?" Her words drown in disbelief, eyes wide and arms folded over her chest, Regina stares at him, confused. "I don't -" He interrupts, uncrossing his own arms as he moves forward slowly, deliberately. She feels trapped, in more ways than just within a room. Stuck between the door and the thief advancing, Regina's arms drop and her mouth runs dry. "I was looking for you. I noticed, your majesty, that you tend to wander the halls late at night?" She doesn't fail to notice the question mark at the end of his sentence, his curiosity evident in the shine in his eyes. "I - prefer the solitude." Her voice is soft, barely above a whisper and it surprises her that she had answered him at all. But he has a way of unsettling the Queen, catching her off-guard in ways she's not been in years. And his smile softens as he steps all the closer.

"You prefer it, or you're used to it?" And it's a bold question, a risky one, a personal one. Her eyes widen, lips parting without words to speak and she shakes her head. The mask slips on easily, a habit she'd long ago perfected, and she glares at him. "Who do you think you are?!"

"I think I'm a thief, and once a thief milady..." He doesn't stop moving, closing in on her until her back presses against the door and should she lift her hands before her chest, they would rest upon his own. She breathes in, inhaling deeply and her and her senses are assaulted by his scent. She was right, all those months ago. He did smell like forest but there was something else too, something she couldn't quite place as he tilts his head down and stares at her. "... always a thief."

His hands fall to her waist and she stiffens, eyes flicking downwards before rising once again as she feels breath upon her cheek and she tilts her head back, an attempt at looking him in the eye but he's already presses his lips against her own and her eyes close without much thought. Before she can push him away, or kiss him back if she were honest with herself, he's gone. Opening her eyes, Regina blinks at him across the room, leaning against the wall with that smirk on his lips and his arms folded, and for a moment she wonders if she'd imagined the entire moment. But she's still pressed against the door and her heart is beating hard in her chest and the breath has yet to return to her lips, so she can't have imagined it. "If it offends you milady, that a lowly thief such as I dared to steal a kiss, I would happily return it."

He's thrown her. Completely thrown her and this is uncharted territory. Even had she buried her heart as she had intended to upon first stepping foot back in The Enchanted Forest, she's sure she would still feel it's heavy beat, even then. Mouth dry, words caught, Regina simply stares at him with parted lips and blinks, clearing her throat. "I - You can't..."

"Or perhaps we could search for another way out, despite our numerous attempts already? Milady, if I may ask, why not simply use you magic to free yourself?" It's a loaded question, one with a hidden meaning he couldn't possibly understand and her first response is 'I've tried', but she merely closes her lips and takes a moment to gather her scattered thoughts. "My magic, it's not - the same, since my last encounter with Zelena. I need time to... recuperate." And he inclines his head, lips thinning slightly before his tongue slips out to lick across them. Her eyes fall, watching in silence as his hand rises to scratch at his beard, and her resolve wanes.

It's still late, the half-moon still high in the sky and the other's will not notice their disappearance until breakfast, at the least. It would take them even longer to begin a search, and longer still to search the lower halls. The race between them being found and her regaining her strength enough to transport them out will be a difficult one to bet on, but she's confident in her assumption that the two of them would be stuck in this room for some time.

And it would be quite a shame to waste that time exchanging glares and smug smirks.

Regina pushes off the door, stalking towards him with a sway to her hips that she'd learned to walk with subconsciously, as the Queen. He straightens, smirk growing ever stronger and he speaks before she interrupts him with a kiss. "I assume you want your kiss ba-".

It's a hungry kiss, hard and passionate and his tongue slips passed her lips and she moans, pressing against him as his arms wind around her back and this is okay, she can handle this. Tension had coiled between the two of them for months now, it was bound to snap with either blood spilled or their names screamed in the throws of passion. She doesn't need to feel for him, care about him, love him - she stiffens at the thought before his thumb rubs a circle on her lower back and she arches her back in to him -, but just because she doesn't need to do those things, doesn't mean she won't. She can feel him creeping his way in to her heart and it would be better to get each other out of their systems before someone get's hurt. And Regina can only handle so much more before she breaks.

He turns them, slamming her none-the-gently against the wall and his knee wedges between her thighs. Her breath hitches, head tilting back and exposing her neck and his lips descend upon her throat. Heat pools in her lower stomach, shivers running down her spine as he steals more than kisses from her lips, her skin, her body, her soul.

It's the first of many times she thinks he may be capable of stealing her heart.


	3. the green-eyed monster

**the green-eyed monster**

**a/n**: _i've been unwell for the past few days so i wasn't able to update quite as on schedule as i'd hoped. i've also combined both the third and fourth day of outlaw queen week, and the fifth and the sixth will probably be combined as well. i'm not... completely happy with this one but i wanted to publish it regardless so, yeah. here you go guys!_

**day**: _three and four_  
**prompt**: _firsts and domesticity_

* * *

Robin's never been one for jealousy... until now. He'd heard a saying in this world, that there was a first time for everything. Apparently, that applied here. But he watches with green eyes as Roland climbs in to Regina's lap, and he feels absolutely ridiculous. What kind of father feels jealous of his own son?

Lately though, Regina's been paying an awful lot of attention to the four year old. He can't fault her of course, and he encourages their bonding, but until now, he's had Regina all to himself. He's had his son all to himself. Now they have each other and it's almost as if they've forgotten him. He would appear in the doorway and she'd be teaching him to bake cookies, smiling down at him as she does to Henry, and he has dough all over his hands. He'd wrap his arms around her waist and rub flour all over her clothes and she'd just laugh, ruffle his hair and press a kiss to his forehead. And they don't even notice that he's there.

It's not until Regina looks up and sees him in the doorway that he steps in to the room, a smile on his lips but every day it's get smaller. She'll point him out, and Roland will look up, and his son will shout '_Papa!_' but he won't move from Regina's side.

Robin should be happy, he should be ecstatic. The two of them getting along is all that he could have wanted and he feels like a horrible person for feeling as he does, for looking at his son in envy as he lies with his head in the Queen's lap, her fingers running through his hair.

He's brooding when she slides in to bed beside him, having watched in silence as Regina put Roland to sleep, kissing his cheek and smiling as he snuggles in to his monkey, tucked in to his side. She'd told him a story, even though he was already asleep, because she did so every night since they'd moved in and even every night before that. But Robin broods now, as he sits in bed and stares at the wall opposite him, and Regina's rubbing cream in to her hands as she watches him. "Robin?"

Robin hums, acknowledgement at least and Regina sighs, raising her brow at him from the end of the bed. "What's wrong?" He shakes his head, mumbling '_nothing_' quietly and she stares at him momentarily, head tilted to the side in disbelief. "Robin." Looking up, he offers her a small smile before clearing his throat. "It's nothing, really. I just -" and he pauses. Regina's brow furrows, and inclines her head further attempting to catch his gaze with her own. "Just what?"

"I miss you."

And she blinks. Of all the things he could have said, she hadn't expected it to be that. Licking her lips, Regina folded her arms over her chest and stared at him. "Miss me? I don't... understand."

Robin looks away, rubbing the back of his neck and he feels absolutely pathetic. "We don't spend as much time together anymore, Regina. Please don't misunderstand me milady, I am overjoyed that you and Roland care for each other as you do but I - I feel as if he prefers you over me, and I feel as if, when he's with us, he's all you see. I just, I miss you, Regina."

Regina's lips part, words failing her as she shifts on her feet before her eyes soften and she smiles at him in slight amusement. "Are you jealous of your four year old son?" She'd meant to jest, with light-hearted humour, but he glares at her slightly before looking away, and her smile drops. "Robin, hey, Robin -" Sighing, Regina's knees hit the bed and she reaches out, palms flat against the mattress as she crawls up the bed and moves to straddle his thighs. Hands lifting, Regina caresses his jaw. "Robin, look at me." And he looks at her, lips slightly pouted and he looks like a child, he really does... he looks like his child. Thumb brushing over the corner of his lips, over the place in his cheeks that his dimples hide, Regina smiles at him comfortingly. "I'm sorry I've been ignoring you." And his gaze falls to her navel, his fingers toying with the fabric of her shirt and she sighs. "Do you - do you want me to stop spending so much time with Roland?" She barely whispers her words, and her hearts breaks a little, but he looks up at her in alarm and shakes his head. "Of course not Regina, that's not - I just want us to spend time together... that's all."

Nodding, Regina smiles at him, relieved. Bowing her head, she leans her forehead against his own and closes her eyes. "Okay." He grins, tilting his head back and stealing a kiss and she laughs, kissing him back with a smile before pulling away, shaking her head and opening her eyes. "You're such a child." And Robin's grin grows, a small shrug of his shoulder's before he wraps his arms around her waist and tugs her closer. "Yes, but you love me regardless."

And Regina smiles, nodding as she bows her head and kisses him softly, mumbling against his lips. "True." And Robin rolls over, pinning her beneath him and she breaths soft laughter as he pulls away and hovers above her, green eyes turning blue once more and he smiles, whispering gently, "I love you too."


	4. may i?

**may i?**

**a/n**: so this one got longer than i had expected it too, and it's set just after regina married leopold. i would consider it au? i suppose. as i said, it combines both day five and day six, and tomorrow's will be the last chapter unless anyone wishes to give me prompts. hope you guys like it.

**day**: five and six  
**prompt**: forbidden love and secret admirer

* * *

They met only briefly. When the sun had yet to fall and the castle is but half a day's ride away. She'd been half-asleep inside her carriage, elbow resting against the arm rest, chin in hand and eyes heavy. Her companion sits opposite her, watching in silence as the newly crowned Queen drifts in and out of consciousness and he smiles gently. Her father had always been the greatest company with which to keep.

But the carriage comes to an unexpected halt, voices call out and a knight appears by the door on horseback, insisting they remain within the carriage until they can continue forward. Regina, having startled awake with a jerk of her head, furrows her brow and strains herself forward, attempting to peer through the open window at what has caused her company alarm. She sees nothing but a fallen tree, and she rolls her shoulder's with discomfort. Waving off her father's concern, Regina opens the door and steps outside, Henry following quickly with a heavy sigh for he knows there is no point in fighting his daughter, she is far to stubborn to listen to reason.

"Your Majesty!" Glancing towards the Captain, Regina smiles softly and shakes her head. "You expect me to sit and watch and wait? Please Rowan, I only wish to stretch my legs." And she laughs at his unease, the way his horse thumps at the ground with it's hoof and he grips his reigns tightly, and he nods stiffly. Gathering her skirts in her hands, cursing herself for not having worn the riding clothes she adores so, Regina moves towards the tree line with her father in tow and at least four men not far behind. She rolls her eyes, a smile on her lips and her hand reaches out, palm scraping softly over the bark of the tree she passes and she relishes in the feel of it beneath her skin.

Once she's at the castle, it will be a long while until she can wander so carefree, and she takes a moment before slipping out of her shoes and bending down to pick them up, holding them in her hands and choosing to walk barefoot across the dirt. Were her mother here, she would be scolded, magic wrapping around her waist and hauling her back to the carriage where she would be berated for behaving like a child. But she is a child, she'd say, barely eighteen summers old and she will act like the Queen when she reaches castle walls - until then, she wishes to walk barefoot through the forest.

She's toying with the sleeve of her gown when she hears it, shouting and horses screeches, the clashing of sword against sword and the men whom had followed her rush in to action, two of them moving to her side whilst the other two disappear in to the trees and Regina looks around in fright, in concern. She had dropped her skirts as she had walked but she gathers them once more before taking off, running through the trees and her father, bless him, is far too old and far to rounded to keep pace. He stoops to claim her shoes, which she had thrown to the ground in her haste, before following at a hurried walk with a knight offering him his horse.

When Regina emerges on to the road, her carriage is left abandoned and there are men unconscious on the ground. She runs towards Rowan, resting her hand on the horse that paws at the ground and tugs back on the reigns that it's rider still clings too, and she calms it with a soothing hand and a soft voice. Her lips fall open, parted in exertion for she had walked quite a ways away and hadn't realised it until she had tried to return at a run. Regina turns, glancing along the road and through the trees but she sees nothing that could have caused this. Briefly, her gaze flickers to the carriage and her brow furrows upon seeing her luggage pilfered.

Now, she understands. Bandits, outlaws, thieves - perhaps it was they whom had cut down the tree, ensuring her party would stop and it was lucky, she thinks, that she had decided to forgo waiting like the Lady she pretends to be.

When she stands, Rowan's hand in her own as she helps him rise, her father joins her by her side and the Captain gives his orders, but Regina's attention is elsewhere. In the tree's, hidden high up upon a branch, she can see a figure. Draped in green, a cloak around his shoulders, he watches them and their eyes meet. She can only just make out a glimmer of blue before she's ushered towards a horse. She knows that man, little though she'd seen of him. He had graced the papers of wanted posters for several summers now - Robin Hood, they call him. And his Merry Men. They steal from the rich and give to the poor, heroes to the less fortunate and miscreants to those of royal blood.

Regina bites her lip as she takes the reigns, glancing over her shoulder and in to the tree tops before lowering her gaze to the bracelets that adorn her arms. Had she been here when they were raided, she would no doubt have been stripped of anything of worth - and she wonders how many people a single ring would feed. Her gaze flickers upwards, and she watches in silence as the knights reorganise, several now missing as they search the forest for the men whom had stolen from her and them and the King in turn, and Regina shakes her wrists, freeing her arms of jewels and rings. When they fall to the ground, hidden by the dust created by horses hooves, Regina whips the reigns and shoots forward, her company meeting her pace and her father catches her gaze from her side.

XX

It's but two days later, after having reassured her new step-daughter with a forced smile upon her lips that yes, she is fine and no, she will not miss that which had been stolen, that she retires to her chambers and finds herself upon her balcony. She'd never been one for jewellery, preferring riding leathers to elegant gowns and horseback to side-saddle.

Toying with the ring fastened around her neck by a simple chain, the palm of her hand ghosts along the railing, cold as the night air and Regina watches the sky, the stars, the celebrations below. King Leopold's kingdom is better off then others, the people happier than George's or John's, but even from high up behind the walls that separate her and the outside world, Regina can see the small figures of children in the streets and - a rose.

She sees it from the corner of her eye, sitting alone on her balcony with a chain tied around it's stem and a note folded between it. Brow furrowing, Regina glances around and down, to the side and up - it's impossible to gain access to her balcony without walking through her chambers and she has guards positioned outside her doors at all times, precautions for Leopold's new Queen. Surely they would have told her had someone entered her rooms. Biting her lip, she carefully and slowly picks up the rose and slips the paper from around the chain, a chain she recognises as one of her own.

_'For the Queen,'_ it reads. _'Kind as she is beautiful.'_

And she feels her cheeks flame. It's unsigned, the penmanship clear and sloped from the right, and she wonders who could have left it there. Snow? Perhaps. She doubts it's from her new husband. He had presented her with a necklace laced in diamond's and the sight had made her cringe internally though she smiled in gratitude. Regina is used to material objects as a stand in for affection. Her mother had gifted her with many a jewel, but it was her father who knew she liked hand-picked bouquets and books and simple chains of little value. Her father knew her better than anyone - perhaps the rose was from him.

A full moon passes, before she finds another rose upon her balcony floor. Another chain, her own, wrapped around it's stem and another note tucked inside.

_'For the Queen, generous as she is kind, kind as she is beautiful.'_

And it brings another smile to her lips.

Whomever has been leaving these gifts has no qualms with taking risks. She know's it's not her father, for he would have signed the letter were it him, and the guards have said nothing about an intruder within her rooms. Not only are they breaking in to royal chambers, but they are slowly stealing the Queen's heart and that alone is dangerous. Broken, as it is, she can't afford for it to break any further and the King would surely be displeased should his second wife be lost to him without his notice. Bitterly, Regina's nose crinkles as she holds the rose to her lips. Leopold wouldn't notice she were gone until Snow brought her disappearance to his attention.

And she can not leave, regardless. Her mother's magic ensures that.

Six moons pass, and six roses follow. Each time, a chain wrapped around it's stem with a letter tucked inside, compliments causing heat to flush her cheeks and Regina lives for those nights. She has left the castle all of three times, one of which she thinks she sees a figure in the trees but when she glances back, it's gone.

Now, she stands by Leopold's side as he introduces his daughter, her fourteenth name day a cause of celebration and Regina smiles as she's expected, claps as she's expected, and curtsey's to a girl less than ten years younger than her. Her husband dances with her step-daughter, twirling her around the floor and Regina inclines her head to the many nobles that pass. They don't speak to her, few ever do. She's heard that her title prevents them from doing so, that whilst it's his daughter the King cherishes, it's the King's wife whom the people call his treasure... and one must never touch the King's treasure.

But a hand extends itself before her and the Queen look up, a man bowing behind a mask and there are few who chose to wear them. But he smiles at her and asks her to dance and all she notices about him are his eyes.

Blue, and familiar.

"May I?"

Her lips part with a soft breath and she feels her heart stop, but tentatively, she holds out her hand and places it in his own before following him on to the dance floor, and Leopold doesn't even notice. Snow does though, tilting her head in interest as she watches her step-mother join a stranger, stands close to a stranger and places her hand on the stranger's shoulder. She's still staring at him as he begins to move, stepping her back and then forward, to the side and spins her around, and Regina briefly catches her father's gaze as he stands in the doorway leading to the gardens. But the stranger speaks, his voice low and accented and Regina's attention returns to him and a shiver runs down her spine.

She's never felt more alive.

"My apologies, milady, for intruding upon your night." And Regina blinks, and blinks again, before she clears her throat and shakes her head gently. "You didn't intrude. Though I would like to know with whom I share a dance?" And his head bows, lips but a breath from her nose and she falters in her step but he catches her and they continue to dance, as if nothing ever happened. And the stranger laughs. "Robin, milady." And she feels her breath hitch.

"Robin? You're -" And Regina's gaze flickers, from one side to the left as if she expects the knights to surge forward at any moment, but they don't notice. Of course they don't. Most everyone's attention is on that of Leopold and Snow, laughing together as he twirls her under his arm and Regina notices only her father and a man hidden behind a mask, large in stature - and they are the only two to watch them so closely. Hissing under her breath, panic welling in her heart, Regina leans forward and stares him in the eye. "Are you asking for a death wish, thief? You'll be hanged if King John sees you." And Regina can see him, standing by Midas and stuffing his face with beef and potatoes and her grip on Robin's shoulder tightens, even as Robin laughs.

"Ah, but I couldn't pass up an opportunity such as this." Regina's brow furrows, her head canting to the side just so, and she looks at him in absolute confusion. "Opportunity? Do you truly believe you could steal from the royals during a night such as this? There are more knights in attendance then ever." But Robin only smiles. "I have no intention of stealing anything this night, milady."

"Then what opportunity?" And Regina spins, her back colliding with his chest as his hand falls to her waist and this is dangerous, very dangerous. He could have his hand removed for touching her in such a way, in full view of the King and the court and the people. Should they discover who he is, a hanging would be merciful. But his lips are near her ears and she can feel the tickle of his beard on her jaw and she holds her breath as she places her hand in his own. "I had a dream, milady. Where I danced with a woman kind as she is beautiful, with a crown upon her head and a smile upon her lips. And when I woke, I vowed that I would find this woman, and I would dance with her, and she would smile."

But Regina's eyes only widen, her thoughts twisting through halls and up staircases in to her chambers where a fresh rose rests within a vase filled with water, and a note that reads 'I had a dream milady, and you were in it' hides within her drawer beneath a hand mirror, folded and refolded after countless attempts to read it. She turns then, changing the dance as her palm rests against his chest. "You!"

And he smiles, grins at her with dimples in his cheeks, and he steps away, bowing, before whispering against her hand '_until next time_'. A kiss to her knuckles as the song ends, and he disappears in to the crowd, leaving Regina standing there with parted lips and wide eyes.

Now, she remembers. The chains that bound the rose and letter together had been her own, she had recognised the initials engraved within precious gold, but they were chains she had dropped upon a dirt road.


End file.
